Saturday, November 19, 2005

CIA Interrogation Techniques vs. Saddam's Interrogation Techniques

Compare and contrast the interrogation techniques of American forces vs. those of Saddam Hussein.

From ABC News:"The CIA sources described a list of six "Enhanced Interrogation Techniques" instituted in mid-March 2002 and used, they said, on a dozen top al Qaeda targets incarcerated in isolation at secret locations on military bases in regions from Asia to Eastern Europe. According to the sources, only a handful of CIA interrogators are trained and authorized to use the techniques: The Attention Grab: The interrogator forcefully grabs the shirt front of the prisoner and shakes him.Attention Slap: An open-handed slap aimed at causing pain and triggering fear.The Belly Slap: A hard open-handed slap to the stomach. The aim is to cause pain, but not internal injury. Doctors consulted advised against using a punch, which could cause lasting internal damage.Long Time Standing: This technique is described as among the most effective. Prisoners are forced to stand, handcuffed and with their feet shackled to an eye bolt in the floor for more than 40 hours. Exhaustion and sleep deprivation are effective in yielding confessions.

The Cold Cell: The prisoner is left to stand naked in a cell kept near 50 degrees. Throughout the time in the cell the prisoner is doused with cold water.

Water Boarding: The prisoner is bound to an inclined board, feet raised and head slightly below the feet. Cellophane is wrapped over the prisoner's face and water is poured over him. Unavoidably, the gag reflex kicks in and a terrifying fear of drowning leads to almost instant pleas to bring the treatment to a halt." Below is a list of the common techniques used by Saddam's henchmen in pre-invasion Iraq: (via WorldNetDaily)

Medical experimentationBeatingsCrucifixionHammering nails into the fingers and handsAmputating sex organs or breasts with an electric carving knifeSpraying insecticides into a victim's eyesBranding with a hot ironCommitting rape while the victim's spouse is forced to watchPouring boiling water into the victim's rectumNailing the tongue to a wooden boardExtracting teeth with pliersUsing bees and scorpions to sting naked children in front of their parents

It's important to remember that these techniques were used on everyone from petty thieves to murderers to political opponents and even prostitutes. Not surprisingly, the Fedayeen Saddam publicly beheaded over 200 prostitutes in 2001, then deposited their severed heads on the doorsteps of their family's homes.Enough moral equivalency.